1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a machine for use in making crepes, pancakes, tortillas, or the like, and, in particular, to an improved crepe or pancake making machine which can be utilized on an existing griddle structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of machines for making crepes or pancakes are known in the prior art from manually operated machines which produce one crepe at a time to fully automated machines which produces crepes at a relatively high rate of speed. However, the known manually operated machines do not produce crepes at a sufficient rate of speed to be of practical value in a restaurant or a fast-food outlet. Further, the fully automated machines are of relatively complicated construction and are susceptible to mechanical failure rendering their use in a restaurant or fast-food outlet impractical. Further, automated machines can only cook one side of a crepe or pancake, such that the crepes or pancakes which are produced cannot be readily stacked without sticking together.
Crepe making machines are also known which incorporate a planer blade under a trough which dispenses dough onto a griddle, such that the machine must be removed from the griddle in order to clean the planer blade. Since caked dough remaining on the planer blade functions as an additional irregular scraper or can fall onto the surface of a crepe or pancake, resulting in a defective crepe or pancake which cannot be sold to a consumer, maintaining the planer blade free from caked dough is quite important in order to minimize waste. In addition, known crepe making machines, both automatic and manual, can only effectively operate within a narrow range of dough compositions, such that crepes having varied consistencies cannot be made with such machines.
The present invention overcomes the above drawbacks by providing a pancake or crepe making machine which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and can produce crepes, pancakes, tortillas, or similar food products utilizing a flour, corn or potato based viscous dough, at a sufficient rate of speed to permit its use in restaurants and fast-food outlets. Further, the machine according to the present invention can be utilized on existing griddle structures with a minimum amount of modification to the griddle. As well, the planer blade on the machine can be adjusted to permit the use of various consistencies of dough, and the blade can be cleaned and its angle relative to the surface of a griddle can be adjusted without lifting the machine off of the griddle.